Chapter 87

13. (Firearms) The small part of a gunstock near the lock, which is grasped by the hand in taking aim.

Hand is used figuratively for a large variety of acts or things, in the doing, or making, or use of which the hand is in some way employed or concerned; also, as a symbol to denote various qualities or conditions, as: (a) Activity; operation; work; -- in distinction from the head, which implies thought, and the heart, which implies affection. "His hand will be against every man." Gen. xvi. 12.(b) Power; might; supremacy; -- often in the Scriptures. "With a mighty hand . . . will I rule over you." Ezek. xx. 33. (c) Fraternal feeling; as, to give, or take, the hand; to give the right hand. (d) Contract; -- commonly of marriage; as, to ask the hand; to pledge the hand.

Hand is often used adjectively or in compounds (with or without the hyphen), signifying performed by the hand; as, hand blow or hand-blow, hand gripe or hand-gripe: used by, or designed for, the hand; as, hand ball or handball, hand bow, hand fetter, hand grenade or hand-grenade, handgun or hand gun, handloom or hand loom, handmill or hand organ or handorgan, handsaw or hand saw, hand-weapon: measured or regulated by the hand; as, handbreadth or hand's breadth, hand gallop or hand-gallop. Most of the words in the following paragraph are written either as two words or in combination.

Hand bag, a satchel; a small bag for carrying books, papers, parcels, etc. -- Hand basket, a small or portable basket. -- Hand bell, a small bell rung by the hand; a table bell. Bacon. -- Hand bill, a small pruning hook. See 4th Bill. -- Hand car. See under Car. -- Hand director (Mus.), an instrument to aid in forming a good position of the hands and arms when playing on the piano; a hand guide. -- Hand drop. See Wrist drop. -- Hand gallop. See under Gallop. -- Hand gear (Mach.), apparatus by means of which a machine, or parts of a machine, usually operated by other power, may be operated by hand. -- Hand glass. (a) A glass or small glazed frame, for the protection of plants. (b) A small mirror with a handle. -- Hand guide. Same as Hand director (above). -- Hand language, the art of conversing by the hands, esp. as practiced by the deaf and dumb; dactylology. -- Hand lathe. See under Lathe. -- Hand money, money paid in hand to bind a contract; earnest money. -- Hand organ (Mus.), a barrel organ, operated by a crank turned by hand. -- Hand plant. (Bot.) Same as Hand tree (below). -- Hand rail, a rail, as in staircases, to hold by. Gwilt. -- Hand sail, a sail managed by the hand. Sir W. Temple. -- Hand screen, a small screen to be held in the hand. -- Hand screw, a small jack for raising heavy timbers or weights; (Carp.) a screw clamp. -- Hand staff (pl. Hand staves), a javelin. Ezek. xxxix. 9. -- Hand stamp, a small stamp for dating, addressing, or canceling papers, envelopes, etc. -- Hand tree (Bot.), a lofty tree found in Mexico (Cheirostemon platanoides), having red flowers whose stamens unite in the form of a hand. -- Hand vise, a small vise held in the hand in doing small work. Moxon. -- Hand work, or Handwork, work done with the hands, as distinguished from work done by a machine; handiwork. -- All hands, everybody; all parties. -- At all hands, On all hands, on all sides; from every direction; generally. -- At any hand, At no hand, in any (or no) way or direction; on any account; on no account. "And therefore at no hand consisting with the safety and interests of humility." Jer. Taylor. -- At first hand, At second hand. See def. 10 (above). -- At hand. (a) Near in time or place; either present and within reach, or not far distant. "Your husband is at hand; I hear his trumpet." Shak. (b) Under the hand or bridle. [Obs.] "Horses hot at hand." Shak. -- At the hand of, by the act of; as a gift from. "Shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil?" Job ii. 10. -- Bridle hand. See under Bridle. -- By hand, with the hands, in distinction from instrumentality of tools, engines, or animals; as, to weed a garden by hand; to lift, draw, or carry by hand. -- Clean hands, freedom from guilt, esp. from the guilt of dishonesty in money matters, or of bribe taking. "He that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger." Job xvii. 9. -- From hand to hand, from one person to another. -- Hand in hand. (a) In union; conjointly; unitedly. Swift. (b) Just; fair; equitable.

As fair and as good, a kind of hand in hand comparison.

Shak.

-- Hand over hand, Hand over fist, by passing the hands alternately one before or above another; as, to climb hand over hand; also, rapidly; as, to come up with a chase hand over hand. -- Hand over head, negligently; rashly; without seeing what one does. [Obs.] Bacon. -- Hand running, consecutively; as, he won ten times hand running. -- Hands off! keep off! forbear! no interference or meddling! -- Hand to hand, in close union; in close fight; as, a hand to hand contest. Dryden. -- Heavy hand, severity or oppression. -- In hand. (a) Paid down. "A considerable reward in hand, and . . . a far greater reward hereafter." Tillotson. (b) In preparation; taking place. Chaucer. "Revels . . . in hand." Shak. (c) Under consideration, or in the course of transaction; as, he has the business in hand. -- In one's hand or hands. (a) In one's possession or keeping. (b) At one's risk, or peril; as, I took my life in my hand. -- Laying on of hands, a form used in consecrating to office, in the rite of confirmation, and in blessing persons. -- Light hand, gentleness; moderation. -- Note of hand, a promissory note. -- Off hand, Out of hand, forthwith; without delay, hesitation, or difficulty; promptly. "She causeth them to be hanged up out of hand." Spenser. -- Off one's hands, out of one's possession or care. -- On hand, in present possession; as, he has a supply of goods on hand. -- On one's hands, in one's possession care, or management. -- Putting the hand under the thigh, an ancient Jewish ceremony used in swearing. -- Right hand, the place of honor, power, and strength. -- Slack hand, idleness; carelessness; inefficiency; sloth. -- Strict hand, severe discipline; rigorous government. -- To bear a hand (Naut.), to give help quickly; to hasten. -- To bear in hand, to keep in expectation with false pretenses. [Obs.] Shak. -- To be hand and glove, or in glove, with. See under Glove. -- To be on the mending hand, to be convalescent or improving. -- To bring up by hand, to feed (an infant) without suckling it. -- To change hand. See Change. -- To change hands, to change sides, or change owners. Hudibras. -- To clap the hands, to express joy or applause, as by striking the palms of the hands together. -- To come to hand, to be received; to be taken into possession; as, the letter came to hand yesterday. -- To get hand, to gain influence. [Obs.]

Appetites have . . . got such a hand over them.

Baxter.

-- To get one's hand in, to make a beginning in a certain work; to become accustomed to a particular business. -- To have a hand in, to be concerned in; to have a part or concern in doing; to have an agency or be employed in. -- To have in hand. (a) To have in one's power or control. Chaucer. (b) To be engaged upon or occupied with. -- To have one's hands full, to have in hand all that one can do, or more than can be done conveniently; to be pressed with labor or engagements; to be surrounded with difficulties. -- To have, or get, the (higher) upper hand, to have, or get, the better of another person or thing. -- To his hand, To my hand, etc., in readiness; already prepared. "The work is made to his hands." Locke. -- To hold hand, to compete successfully or on even conditions. [Obs.] Shak. -- To lay hands on, to seize; to assault. -- To lend a hand, to give assistance. -- To lift, or put forth, the hand against, to attack; to oppose; to kill. -- To live from hand to mouth, to obtain food and other necessaries as want compels, without previous provision. - - To make one's hand, to gain advantage or profit. -- To put the hand unto, to steal. Ex. xxii. 8.-- To put the last, or finishing, hand to, to make the last corrections in; to complete; to perfect. -- To set the hand to, to engage in; to undertake.

That the Lord thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to.

Deut. xxiii. 20.

-- To stand one in hand, to concern or affect one. -- To strike hands, to make a contract, or to become surety for another's debt or good behavior. -- To take in hand. (a) To attempt or undertake. (b) To seize and deal with; as, he took him in hand. -- To wash the hands of, to disclaim or renounce interest in, or responsibility for, a person or action; as, to wash one's hands of a business. Matt. xxvii. 24. -- Under the hand of, authenticated by the handwriting or signature of; as, the deed is executed under the hand and seal of the owner.

Hand (hnd), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Handed; p. pr. & vb. n. Handing.] 1. To give, pass, or transmit with the hand; as, he handed them the letter.

2. To lead, guide, or assist with the hand; to conduct; as, to hand a lady into a carriage.

3. To manage; as, I hand my oar. [Obs.] Prior.

4. To seize; to lay hands on. [Obs.] Shak.

5. To pledge by the hand; to handfast. [R.]

6. (Naut.) To furl; -- said of a sail. Totten.

To hand down, to transmit in succession, as from father to son, or from predecessor to successor; as, fables are handed down from age to age; to forward to the proper officer (the decision of a higher court); as, the Clerk of the Court of Appeals handed down its decision. -- To hand over, to yield control of; to surrender; to deliver up.

Hand, v. i. To coˆperate. [Obs.] Massinger.

Hand"bar`row (-br`r), n. A frame or barrow, without a wheel, carried by hand.

Hand"bill` (-bl`), n. 1. A loose, printed sheet, to be distributed by hand.

2. A pruning hook. [Usually written hand bill.]

Hand"book` (-bk`), n. [Hand + book; cf. AS. handbc, or G. handbuch.] A book of reference, to be carried in the hand; a manual; a guidebook.

Hand"breadth` (-brdth`), n. A space equal to the breadth of the hand; a palm. Ex. xxxvii. 12.

Hand"cart`, n. A cart drawn or pushed by hand.

Hand"cloth` (-klth`; 115), n. A handkerchief.

Hand"craft` (-krft`), n. Same as Handicraft.

Hand"crafts`man (-man), n.; pl. -men (-men). A handicraftsman.

Hand"cuff` (-kf`), n. [AS. handcops; hand hand + cosp, cops, fetter. The second part was confused with E. cuffs,] A fastening, consisting of an iron ring around the wrist, usually connected by a chain with one on the other wrist; a manacle; -- usually in the plural.

<! p. 668 pr=JMD !>

Hand"cuff` (hnd"kf`), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Handcuffed (- kft`); p. pr. & vb. n. Handcuffing.] To apply handcuffs to; to manacle. Hay (1754).

Hand"ed, a. 1. With hands joined; hand in hand.

Into their inmost bower, Handed they went.

Milton.

2. Having a peculiar or characteristic hand.

As poisonous tongued as handed.

Shak.

Handed is used in composition in the sense of having (such or so many) hands; as, bloody- handed; free-handed; heavy-handed; left- handed; single-handed.

Hand"er (-r), n. One who hands over or transmits; a conveyer in succession. Dryden.

Hand"fast` (-fst`), n. 1. Hold; grasp; custody; power of confining or keeping. [Obs.] Shak.

2. Contract; specifically, espousal. [Obs.]

Hand"fast`, a. Fast by contract; betrothed by joining hands. [Obs.] Bale.

Hand"fast`, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Handfasted; p. pr. & vb. n. Handfasting.] To pledge; to bind; to betroth by joining hands, in order to permit cohabitation, before the celebration of marriage. [Obs.]

Hand"fast`, a. [G. handfest; hand hand + fest strong. See Fast.] Strong; steadfast.[R.] Carlyle.

Hand"fast`ly, adv. In a handfast or publicly pledged manner. [Obs.] Holinshed.

Hand"fish` (-fsh`), n. (Zoˆl.) The frogfish.

Hand"ful (-fl), n.; pl. Handfuls (-flz). [AS. handfull.] 1. As much as the hand will grasp or contain. Addison.

2. A hand's breadth; four inches. [Obs.]

Knap the tongs together about a handful from the bottom.

Bacon.

3. A small quantity or number.

This handful of men were tied to very hard duty.

Fuller.

To have one's handful, to have one's hands full; to have all one can do. [Obs.]

They had their handful to defend themselves from firing.

Sir. W. Raleigh.

Hand"-hole` (-hl`), n. (Steam Boilers) A small hole in a boiler for the insertion of the hand in cleaning, etc.

Hand-hole plate, the cover of a hand- hole.

Hand"i*cap (hn"d*kp), n. [From hand in cap; -- perh. in reference to an old mode of settling a bargain by taking pieces of money from a cap.] 1. An allowance of a certain amount of time or distance in starting, granted in a race to the competitor possessing inferior advantages; or an additional weight or other hindrance imposed upon the one possessing superior advantages, in order to equalize, as much as possible, the chances of success; as, the handicap was five seconds, or ten pounds, and the like.

2. A race, for horses or men, or any contest of agility, strength, or skill, in which there is an allowance of time, distance, weight, or other advantage, to equalize the chances of the competitors.

3. An old game at cards. [Obs.] Pepys.

Hand"i*cap, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Handicapped (-kpt); p. pr. & vb. n. Handicapping.] To encumber with a handicap in any contest; hence, in general, to place at disadvantage; as, the candidate was heavily handicapped.

Hand"i*cap`per (-kp`pr), n. One who determines the conditions of a handicap.

Hand"i*craft (hnd"*krft), n. [For handcraft, influenced by handiwork; AS. handcrÊft.] 1. A trade requiring skill of hand; manual occupation; handcraft. Addison.

2. A man who earns his living by handicraft; a handicraftsman. [R.] Dryden.

Hand"i*crafts`man (-krfts`man), n.; pl. -men (- men). A man skilled or employed in handcraft. Bacon.

Hand"i*ly (-*l), adv. [See Handy.] In a handy manner; skillfully; conveniently.

Hand"i*ness, n. The quality or state of being handy.

Hand"i`ron (-`rn), n. See Andiron. [Obs.]

Hand"i*work` (-*w˚rk`), n. [OE. handiwerc, AS. handgeweorc; hand hand + geweorc work; prefix ge- + weorc. See Work.] Work done by the hands; hence, any work done personally.

The firmament showeth his handiwork.

Ps. xix. 1.

Hand"ker*cher (h"kr*chr), n. A handkerchief. [Obs. or Colloq.] Chapman (1654). Shak.

Hand"ker*chief (h"kr*chf; 277), n. [Hand + kerchief.] 1. A piece of cloth, usually square and often fine and elegant, carried for wiping the face or hands.

2. A piece of cloth shaped like a handkerchief to be worn about the neck; a neckerchief; a neckcloth.

Han"dle (hn"d'l), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Handled (-d'ld); p. pr. & vb. n. Handling(-dlng).] [OE. handlen, AS. handlian; akin to D. handelen to trade, G. handeln. See Hand.] 1. To touch; to feel with the hand; to use or hold with the hand.

Handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh.

Luke xxiv. 39.

About his altar, handling holy things.

Milton.

2. To manage in using, as a spade or a musket; to wield; often, to manage skillfully.

That fellow handles his bow like a crowkeeper.

Shak.

3. To accustom to the hand; to work upon, or take care of, with the hands.

The hardness of the winters forces the breeders to house and handle their colts six months every year.

Sir W. Temple.

4. To receive and transfer; to have pass through one's hands; hence, to buy and sell; as, a merchant handles a variety of goods, or a large stock.

5. To deal with; to make a business of.

They that handle the law knew me not.

Jer. ii. 8.

6. To treat; to use, well or ill.

How wert thou handled being prisoner?

Shak.

7. To manage; to control; to practice skill upon.

You shall see how I will handle her.

Shak.

8. To use or manage in writing or speaking; to treat, as a theme, an argument, or an objection.

We will handle what persons are apt to envy others.

Bacon.

To handle without gloves. See under Glove. [Colloq.]

Han"dle (hn"d'l), v. i. To use the hands.

They have hands, but they handle not.

Ps. cxv. 7.

Han"dle, n. [AS. handle. See Hand.] 1. That part of vessels, instruments, etc., which is held in the hand when used or moved, as the haft of a sword, the knob of a door, the bail of a kettle, etc.

2. That of which use is made; the instrument for effecting a purpose; a tool. South.

To give a handle, to furnish an occasion or means.

Han"dle*a*ble (-*b'l), a. Capable of being handled.

Hand"less (hnd"ls), a. Without a hand. Shak.

Han"dling (hn"dlng), n. [AS. handlung.] 1. A touching, controlling, managing, using, etc., with the hand or hands, or as with the hands. See Handle, v. t.

The heavens and your fair handling Have made you master of the field this day.

Spenser.

2. (Drawing, Painting, etc.) The mode of using the pencil or brush, etc.; style of touch. Fairholt.

Hand"made` (hnd"md`), a. Manufactured by hand; as, handmade shoes.

{ Hand"maid` (-md`), Hand"maiden (-'n), } n. A maid that waits at hand; a female servant or attendant.

Hand"saw` (-s`) n. A saw used with one hand.

Hand"sel (hnd"sl), n. [Written also hansel.] [OE. handsal, hansal, hansel, AS. handselena giving into hands, or more prob. fr. Icel. handsal; hand hand + sal sale, bargain; akin to AS. sellan to give, deliver. See Sell, Sale. ] 1. A sale, gift, or delivery into the hand of another; especially, a sale, gift, delivery, or using which is the first of a series, and regarded as an omen for the rest; a first installment; an earnest; as the first money received for the sale of goods in the morning, the first money taken at a shop newly opened, the first present sent to a young woman on her wedding day, etc.

Their first good handsel of breath in this world.

Fuller.

Our present tears here, not our present laughter, Are but the handsels of our joys hereafter.

Herrick.

2. Price; payment. [Obs.] Spenser.

Handsel Monday, the first Monday of the new year, when handsels or presents are given to servants, children, etc.

Hand"sel, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Handseled or Handselled (hnd"sld); p. pr. & vb. n. Handseling or Handselling.] [Written also hansel.] [OE handsellen, hansellen; cf. Icel. hadsala, handselja. See Handsel, n.] 1. To give a handsel to.

2. To use or do for the first time, esp. so as to make fortunate or unfortunate; to try experimentally.

No contrivance of our body, but some good man in Scripture hath handseled it with prayer.

Fuller.

Hand"some (hn"sm; 277), a. [Compar. Handsomer (- r); superl. Handsomest.] [Hand + -some. It at first meant, dexterous; cf. D. handzaam dexterous, ready, limber, manageable, and E. handy.] 1. Dexterous; skillful; handy; ready; convenient; -- applied to things as persons. [Obs.]

That they [engines of war] be both easy to be carried and handsome to be moved and turned about.

Robynson (Utopia).

For a thief it is so handsome as it may seem it was first invented for him.

Spenser.

2. Agreeable to the eye or to correct taste; having a pleasing appearance or expression; attractive; having symmetry and dignity; comely; -- expressing more than pretty, and less than beautiful; as, a handsome man or woman; a handsome garment, house, tree, horse.

3. Suitable or fit in action; marked with propriety and ease; graceful; becoming; appropriate; as, a handsome style, etc.

Easiness and handsome address in writing.

Felton.

4. Evincing a becoming generosity or nobleness of character; liberal; generous.

Handsome is as handsome does.

Old Proverb.

5. Ample; moderately large.

He . . . accumulated a handsome sum of money.

V. Knox.

To do the handsome thing, to act liberally. [Colloq.]

Syn. -- Handsome, Pretty. Pretty applies to things comparatively small, which please by their delicacy and grace; as, a pretty girl, a pretty flower, a pretty cottage. Handsome rises higher, and is applied to objects on a larger scale. We admire what is handsome, we are pleased with what is pretty. The word is connected with hand, and has thus acquired the idea of training, cultivation, symmetry, and proportion, which enters so largely into our conception of handsome. Thus Drayton makes mention of handsome players, meaning those who are well trained; and hence we speak of a man's having a handsome address, which is the result of culture; of a handsome horse or dog, which implies well proportioned limbs; of a handsome face, to which, among other qualities, the idea of proportion and a graceful contour are essential; of a handsome tree, and a handsome house or villa. So, from this idea of proportion or suitableness, we have, with a different application, the expressions, a handsome fortune, a handsome offer.

Hand"some, v. t. To render handsome. [Obs.] Donne

Hand"some*ly, adv. 1. In a handsome manner.

2. (Naut.) Carefully; in shipshape style.

Hand"some*ness, n. The quality of being handsome.

Handsomeness is the mere animal excellence, beauty the mere imaginative.

Hare.

Hand"spike` (hnd"spk`), n. A bar or lever, generally of wood, used in a windlass or capstan, for heaving anchor, and, in modified forms, for various purposes.

Hand"spring` (-sprng), n. A somersault made with the assistance of the hands placed upon the ground.

Hand"-tight` (-tt`), a. (Naut.) As tight as can be made by the hand. Totten.

Hand"wheel` (-hwl), n. (Mach.) Any wheel worked by hand; esp., one the rim of which serves as the handle by which a valve, car brake, or other part is adjusted.

Hand"-winged` (hnd"wngd`), a. (Zoˆl.) Having wings that are like hands in the structure and arrangement of their bones; -- said of bats. See Cheiroptera.

Hand"writ`ing (-rt"ng), n. 1. The cast or form of writing peculiar to each hand or person; chirography.

2. That which is written by hand; manuscript.

The handwriting on the wall, a doom pronounced; an omen of disaster. Dan. v. 5.

Hand"y (hnd"), a. [Compar. Handier (-*r); superl. Handiest.] [OE. hendi, AS. hendig (in comp.), fr. hand hand; akin to D. handig, Goth. handugs clever, wise.] 1. Performed by the hand. [Obs.]

To draw up and come to handy strokes.

Milton.

2. Skillful in using the hand; dexterous; ready; adroit. "Each is handy in his way." Dryden.

3. Ready to the hand; near; also, suited to the use of the hand; convenient; valuable for reference or use; as, my tools are handy; a handy volume.

4. (Naut.) Easily managed; obedient to the helm; -- said of a vessel.

Hand"y-dan`dy (-dn`d), n. A child's play, one child guessing in which closed hand the other holds some small object, winning the object if right and forfeiting an equivalent if wrong; hence, forfeit. Piers Plowman.

Hand"y*fight` (-ft), n. A fight with the hands; boxing. "Pollux loves handyfights." B. Jonson.

Hand"y*gripe` (-grp`), n. Seizure by, or grasp of, the hand; also, close quarters in fighting. Hudibras.

Hand"y*stroke` (-strk`), n. A blow with the hand.

Hand"y*work` (-w˚rk`), n. See Handiwork.

Hang (hng), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hanged (hngd) or Hung (hng); p. pr. & vb. n. Hanging. The use of hanged is preferable to that of hung, when reference is had to death or execution by suspension, and it is also more common.] [OE. hangen, hongien, v. t. & i., AS. hangian, v. i., fr. hn, v. t. (imp. heng, p. p. hongen); akin to OS. hangn, v. i., D. hangen, v. t. & i., G. hangen, v. i., h‰ngen, v. t., Icel. hanga, v. i., Goth. hhan, v. t. (imp. haÌhah), hhan, v. i. (imp. hahaida), and perh. to L. cunctari to delay. &radic;37. ] 1. To suspend; to fasten to some elevated point without support from below; -- often used with up or out; as, to hang a coat on a hook; to hang up a sign; to hang out a banner.

2. To fasten in a manner which will allow of free motion upon the point or points of suspension; -- said of a pendulum, a swing, a door, gate, etc.

3. To fit properly, as at a proper angle (a part of an implement that is swung in using), as a scythe to its snath, or an ax to its helve. [U. S.]

4. To put to death by suspending by the neck; -- a form of capital punishment; as, to hang a murderer.